Board of Directors

Board of Directors

Marc
LeBaron

Chairman of the Board

Mr. LeBaron was named Chairman of the Board of the Company in May 2017. Mr. LeBaron has been Chairman/CEO of Lincoln Industries in Lincoln, NE since 2001. Lincoln Industries is a supplier of products requiring high performance metal finishing. He has served on the Board of Directors of Ballantyne Strong, Inc. since 2005. He serves on Ballantyne's Audit Committee, Compensation Committee and Nominating and Governance Committees. He is also a director of Assurity Security Group, Inc., Lincoln, NE. Mr. LeBaron brings his experience as the CEO of a Midwestern ISO certified manufacturer, recognized as one of the best places to work in America. His organizational leadership experience, ability to identify and implement business strategy and knowledge of corporate governance give him the operational expertise and breadth of knowledge which qualify him to serve as director.

Daniel
A.
Rykhus

President and Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Rykhus became the company's President and Chief Executive Officer in 2010. He joined Raven in 1990 as an intern while earning his MBA from Colorado State University. Rykhus served as General Manager of the Applied Technology Division from 1998 through 2009, and served as Executive Vice President from 2004 through 2010. During his tenure as CEO, the company has developed numerous products that are helping Raven solve great challenges.

David
L.
Chicoine

Director

David L. Chicoine, Ph.D., is professor of economics at South Dakota State University. He served as the university’s 19 th president from 2007-2016 and will become president emeritus and professor emeritus in July 2017. Prior to 2007, Dr. Chicoine was professor of agricultural economics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and held various positions of increasing administrative responsibility with the University of Illinois, including department head, dean and vice president for technology and economic development. Since April 2009, he has served as an independent director on the Monsanto Company board, where he is a member of the Science and Technology Committee and the Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility Committee. He also currently serves on the Board of Avera McKennan Hospital, Sioux Falls, SD, is an outside director on the Board of First Bank and Trust, Brookings, SD and is a member of the Board of ENTERPRISE 605, INC, Sioux Falls, SD and of the Board of Managers of South Dakota Innovation Partners (SDIP), LLC., Brookings/Sioux Falls, SD.

Thomas
S.
Everist

Director

Mr. Everist is President and Chief Executive Officer of The Everist Company, Sioux Falls, SD, a position he has held since 2002. He was President and Chief Executive Officer, L.G. Everist, Inc., Sioux Falls, SD, from 1987 to 2002. These companies mine and produce construction materials including aggregate, concrete and asphalt. He brings a strong understanding of production and logistical operations. Since 2006, he has been the managing member of South Maryland Creek Ranch, LLC, a land development company, and President of SMCR, Inc., an investment company. He is a director of MDU Resources, Bismarck, ND, a publicly traded energy and utility company, where he chairs the Compensation Committee. He is also a director of several non-public companies including, Showplace Wood Products, Bell, Inc. and Everist Genomics, Inc. Mr. Everist brings demonstrated success in business and leadership skills, serving as president and chairman of his companies, headquartered in the Company's home state, for over 25 years.

Jason
M.
Andringa

Director

Mr. Andringa was named the President and Chief Executive Officer of Vermeer Corporation, Pella, Iowa on November 1, 2015. Prior to that, he was President of Forage and Environmental Solutions for the Vermeer Corporation, Pella, Iowa. The Vermeer Corporation manufactures equipment for the construction, agriculture, surface mining, forestry and landscaping industries and serves markets around the world. Prior to his current role in the company, Mr. Andringa also served as Vice President for Dealer Distribution and Global Accounts and was based in the Netherlands while serving as Managing Director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. He brings a strong understanding of manufacturing and operations and substantial experience in both domestic and international markets. Prior to joining Vermeer, Mr. Andringa was a staff engineer for four years at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory where he applied his Master of Science in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT. In addition to his board membership for a number of Vermeer subsidiaries, Mr. Andringa also serves on the Board of Advisors for Camcraft and the Board of Trustees for The Nature Conservancy of Iowa. Mr. Andringa's educational and professional background qualifies him to serve as director and provides valuable business and strategic insight to the board.

Kevin
T.
Kirby

Director

Mr. Kirby is CEO and a director of Face It TOGETHER, a non-profit organization. He was the Executive Vice President and Treasurer of Western Surety Company from 1979 to 1992. In this position he developed an understanding of accounting principles, internal controls and audit committee functions; as a result he is considered an “audit committee financial expert." He was elected a Director of the Company in 1989 and resigned his position in 2001. From 1993-2001 he chaired the Raven Audit Committee. He was asked to rejoin the Board in 2007. Mr. Kirby brings to the Board over 30 years of expertise in corporate finance and investment management, as well as an insurance background, and provides a valuable risk management perspective.

Richard W.
Parod

Director

Richard W. Parod served as President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director of Lindsay Corporation from 2000 until his retirement in December 2017. Throughout his career, Mr. Parod has held several financial and business leadership roles. He served as the Vice President and General Manager of Toro Irrigation, a division of The Toro Company, from 1997 to March 2000. From 1993 to 1997, he was an executive officer of James Hardie Irrigation, serving as President of that company from 1994 to 1997. He has served on the Board of Directors of The Irrigation Association, the U.S., a trade association serving the irrigation industry, and on the Board of Trustees of the local chapter of Boy Scouts of America, as well as supporting various other charitable organizations. Mr. Parod brings 30 years of relevant business leadership experience and a deep understanding of public company governance to his role as director.